Sometimes that perfect first date turns into the last first date you will ever have. That’s exactly what happened to us 24 years ago today. I quietly pursued him for a month before he got the hint and asked me out to dinner. We were in college and dinner dates then usually meant some chain restaurant, but not this time.
He took me to a five star restaurant, where men wore jackets and ties and women dressed too. He actually called me a few days before to let me know he would be wearing a jacket, just so I had a heads up to dress up for the evening too. Call me impressed. Honestly, that was the type of restaurant I was accustom too, and that’s not to say I was or am a snob, it’s just family dinners out were usually five star affairs.
The restaurant was an old house converted to a restaurant and popular with Monday Night Football announcers. We were a few minutes early and waited in the bar. I recall being in awe of how beautiful the place was. Let’s face it, I am a sucker for pretty wallpaper, original wood finishes, and beautiful details. As I stood there taking it all in, he leaned over and kissed me gently on the cheek. It was very sweet and my fondest memory of the evening.
We talked all night, at dinner and back at my dorm room. We just clicked.
Two days later, back in class, things were a tad awkward. Neither of us knew why, though. The next day we went to grab a bite after class and haven’t been apart since. The strange awkwardness was gone.
It wasn’t until a few weeks later that I found out he had spotted me in class the day before I met him in another class we had together. He pointed me out to a friend and said, “See that girl in the front, I bet I could date her”. At our wedding I told that same friend “See that guy over there, I bet I could marry him”.
Since then we have had many adventures together. We packed up our lives in Massachusetts and moved to Florida with nothing lined up but a place to live. We explored Key West, St. Augustine, and Yellowstone. We’ve been camping and white water rafting. We have helped great causes together, and found our shared creative outlets. We’ve met wonderful people from diverse backgrounds that have enriched our lives. We’ve had our share of ups and downs but always weathered the storms together. Every day is an adventure.
Tonight, I am making us a wonderful dinner with a decadent dessert to celebrate 24 years of friendship and love. Here’s to 24 more…..
I love it! I love reading stories about how people met!